Fluid conduit



R. ABRAMs FLUID CONDUIT Filed June 2. 1943 Dec. 11', 1945;

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Patented Dec. 11, 1945 PATENT fori-ics `ruin) ooNnUlT victor nnbrams, DetmiaMich. .Application auriez, 194s, serial No. 489,362

v(Granted under the act v(if March 3, '1883, as `amended April'30, 1928,'"370 0.16. 757) :5 Claims The invention described-herein may be manufactored and tused by or for they Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to mefof. anyroyalty thereon.

The present inventionpertains-to .a novel vlas- ',semblyof a'ifluid'conduit .between two 'spaced members. One of-.thermernbers may, for4 example, .bathe Wall otaifuel receptacle carried by a-motor ;vehic1e, and thel other member may beanout- 'ward part such l as armor 'plate` `or `the .fender of :;passenger vehicle or truck. 'Ifheconduitrfor .filling thefreceptacle-is designed ,to pass through .the `outer Vmember, and frequently `the openings; for l accommodatingthe conduitare'sofar out of alignment as Vto make `impossible the i insertion of .theA conduit. Y

This inventiomprovides anassemblyormounting to overcome zthis ,diificulty Moreoven .it is `desirable to prevent spill or overflow onrthe `outer member from yiiowing through the ,opening and A .to the inner member.

This .invention also .provides an Aadjustable .packing `device for sealing the conduit in the opening of the out-ermeinber.

The inner end ofthe conduit is to be attached to the innerreceptacle aroundthe openingthereof. The position of the conduit with Arespect .to .this openingismadevariable in the radial directionbythe use Vof `a washer-.having twoeccentric series of openings. .One series, is used, for attachmentcto ythe receptacle .and .the other .for attach menttothe conduit. .A radial-adjustment is selected as determined by .themost.desirableiobn tainablepositionof the conduitin the opening ofthe outer member.

After` thisadjustment has-beenmade, the conduit ywillfrequentlylie eccentrically inthe open- `ing ofthe outer member. The remaining .space is packedby the use of two 1vgaskets Ifitted one within ,the `other .and having eccentric circumferences.` .The inner .gasket is adjustedA relatively tothe `,outer gasket until; the composite lgasket gits andiills the Space; 'A suitable clamping means is provided for spreading the gasket inthe space.

The invention is vfully disclosed 4by Way of eX- ample `in the :following Adescription `and in the accompanying drawing in which:

`Figure lis averticalsectionof thedeviceyand ``Figure -2 isafsectionon-the 1ine12-2 of Figure l.

Reference to these views Will now be-madeby usecf likecharacters Vwhich are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The numeral I indicates the upper surface of the receptacle'into which a iiuid is to be poured. This member has an opening 2 into which a pouring neck or spout is to be inserted, as will presently bedeScribed. ,'Spacedfrom .the surface `I is an outersheet 'or'plat-e: member .3 lsuch as the armor of 4a combat vehicleor ithe fendei-.ofian `automobile i or itruck. The Areceptacle r I is `to :be iilled from the outer side of themember 3, andthe latter 1 is ,1 formed with `an oversized vopening A`I :to accommodate the connecting conduit.

In constructions of this character,` andparticularly incombat tanks, the opening-s 2fand 4 are often eccentric to each lotherin the nahassem bly because ofthe rough character of the Work' or insuflicient 4attentionito this detail. Consequently a-conduit inserted in the opening-f4 might `not register-properlyfwith the opening 4 or the spout insertedtherein. Y i

This condition is corrected by the `construction which-will'now bedescribed. To the lowerfsurface ofthemem-ber I is .attached-1an-annularfsupA .porting lplate :5 Ihaving a bead 16 formed at its inner edge ianddisposed `Within :the `confines f of the openingl.- .A metalwasher 1f of specialy design is mounted over `thebead 6 after insertion offa gasket 8 positioned `within the opening -,2. The washer has eccentric circumferences Stand H);` and visformed with aiseries of holes- II concentric with vtheinnercircumference 9 for attachmentto-thc .bead 6, through the.. gasket `8, by countersunk screws Il. The Washer is formed with `another series of openings I2 concentric 'with the outer circumference I0 for attachmentof-the conduit, asrwillpresently appear, It-.maybe notedfor the presentthat thecenter rofthe inner circumference 9.occupies `a fixed position because of the `concentric relation of the` openings II thereto and that a rotational adjustment of the washer is equivalent to alateralshifting of theopenings 1.2,

VA spout I3 is suspended fromthewasher Land is suitably secured thereto. Aconduit I4` is passed through the opening '4 afor connection with the spout I3 at the washer-"1. Normally the spout I3 and conduit I 4 ,mayA be sofarput ,ofline that the connection cannot'be made. Accordingly, ,the conduitis adjusted in its oversized opening fII` to a position that permits the maximumreg'istration of the members I3 and I4. The conduit Id has a base flange I5 -with a series ofholes I6 positioned to register with theholes I2 Aon .rotative adjustment of the washer I before assembling.

Agasket Il, preferably `having its outer' circumv terence coinciding with that of the washerf, is

inserted between this Washer and the ilange I5, and the parts are secured by bolts I8 fastened in the registering openings I 2 and I6.

As a result of this adjustment, the conduit I4 may occupy an eccentric position in the opening 4. It is desired that the opening be packed around the conduit in order to prevent spilled liquid fromA flowing down on the top of the receptacle I. For this purpose, a number of nested gaskets I9 are used, each having its outer circumference eccentric to its inner circumference. The outer circumference of @any inner gasket is of course equal to the inner circumference of the next outer gasket. The contacting circumferences of two adjacent gaskets are formed at intervals with semi-cylindrical grooves 2| adapted to register and formed with cylindrical bolt openings. The gaskets are adjusted one within the other to ll the opening 4 as completely as possible while bringing the respective grooves ZI into register.

An apertured ring plate 22 and a tapped ring plate 23 are placed at opposite sides of the composite gasket in registration with the 'bolt holes, and bolts 24 are passed through the ring 22 and screwed into the ring4 23. Afradial expansion of the gaskets may thus be effected to form a tight packing of conduit I4 within the opening 4.

It will be seen that adjustment or correction is made in two different planes. The reason for the dual adjustment is that the misalignment of the .normal openings in the two members. is often so outer end of the conduit lli by any suitable means such as lugs 21 engaging beneath an inturned flange 28 at the upper end of the conduit I4. From the cap is suspended a housing 30 containing a non-spill gas vent as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 462,194, filed vOctober 15, 1942.

This vent is designed to closevto avoid spilling when the receptacle I assumes an angular position. However, during such a condition, excessive pressure may develop in the receptacle. Innorder to provide relief under these circumstances, a1.- though it may entail spilling, the housing 30 is designed to function as arelief valve.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims. Y

What I claim is:

A1. Means for providing a uid path through two spaced members each having an opening therethrough. said means comprising a washer adapted to be mounted on one of said members around its opening, said washer having two circular eccentric series of openings, a conduit adapted for insertion in the opening of the other member, the last named opening being oversized for said conduit, an attaching flange extending from said conduit and having a circular series of openings adapted to register with one of the first named series, the other series of openings in saidwasher providing means forattachment to the adjacent memben'and means for packing the conduit in the opening of the remaining member. Y

` 2. Means for providing a uid path through two spaced members each having an opening therethrough, said means comprising a washer adapted to be mounted on one of said members around its opening, said washer having two circular eccenv tric series of openings, a conduit adapted for in-l sertion in the opening of the other member, the last named opening being oversized for said conduit, an attaching flange extending from said conduit and having a circular series of openings adapted to register ywith one of the rst named series, the other series of openings in said Washer Y providing means 'for attachment to the adjacent member, a pair of resilient gaskets with eccentric circumferences tted one within the other and between said conduit and the periphery of the opening of the remaining member by circumferential adjustment of said gaskets relative to'each other to accommodate said conduit in different positions relative to said opening of said remaining member.'

3. Means for providing a fluid path through two spaced members each having an opening therethrough, said means comprising a washer adapted to be mounted on one of saidv members around its opening, said washer having two circular eccentric series of openings, a conduit adapted for insertion in the opening of the other member, the last named opening rbeing oversized for said conduit, an attaching flange extending from said conduit and having a circular series of openings adapted to register with one oi the firstV named series, the other series of openings in said Washer providing means for attachmentV to the adjacent member, a pair of resilient gaskets with eccentric circumferences fitted one within the other and between said conduit and the periphery of the opening of the remaining member by circumferential adjustment of said gaskets relative to each other to accommodate said conduit in different positions relative to said opening of said remaining member, the mutually contacting surfaces of said gaskets having each a series of circumferentially spaced longitudinal passages adapted to register one with the other in different relative positions of circumferential adjustment of said gaskets, pressure plates engaging axially spaced surf-aces of said gaskets, and clamping means passing through said plates and through the registering openings. Y,

`4. An adjustable device for packing a member in an opening in another member. comprising a named member and theperiphery of the opening in the other member and means for expand-ing said gaskets radially, the mutually contacting surfaces of said gasket having each a series -of longitudinal passages adapted to register. one -with the other, pressure plates on the Vflat surfaces of 'Y said gaskets, and clamping means passing through said plates and through the registering openings. Y A VICTOR R. -ABRAMS. 

